Ticonderoga  J. Justin Woods has been appointed president and chief operating officer of the Ticonderoga Revitalization Alliance.

“It has taken us eight months, we reviewed more than 100 resumes and did 20 interviews,” said Alex Levitch, TRA chairman. “In the end, I’m confident we’ve found the right person. I’m very pleased Justin is coming on board.”

Woods, who has worked the past 3 1/2 years as the city of Ogdensburg director of planning and development, has 10 years experience in municipal planning and economic development.

“I’m excited to be leaving a government-led agency to work with a private group,” Woods said. “This is a real opportunity to develop a collaboration between private and corporate investors that will lead to renewed growth in Ticonderoga.”

He is now working part-time in Ticonderoga for the alliance and will assume his full-time duties Oct. 15. His office will be located in the Ticonderoga Community Building.

The Ticonderoga Revitalization Alliance was formed in 2010. It’s a group of private investors who are committed to economic development in the community.

Since forming the TRA and its investors has purchased several downtown buildings. The renovation of one ground floor is complete and now houses the expanded Two Brothers Meat Market. The group has also purchased the former Cobbler’s Bench building.

Levitch said the TRA has also been successful in forming partnerships with local groups, such as the town of Ticonderoga, Fort Ticonderoga and the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce. It is also leading the formation of a Ticonderoga Arts Council.

It’ll be up to Woods to continue that momentum, Levitch said, and to expand the TRA efforts to include more local businesses.

“We want to reach out to the corporate community and bring them into the investment effort and the process of creating a new prosperity for Ti,” Levitch said. “Private funds can only go so far. The time has come for corporate citizens to step up.”